A do-it-yourself guide for getting rid of just about anything.

Best Ways to Get Rid of Bruises

Modified on July 17, 2016

I was the kid who got beat up on the playground a lot, so I know what it’s like to have bruises you don’t want people to notice. Of course, I also was somewhat clumsy so my fair share of bruises came from that too but you can’t hold a life long grudge against clumsiness. What causes a bruise? Bruises are most often caused by broken capillaries (small veins of blood near the surface of your skin) after a sudden impact. These broken capillaries then allow blood to go where it usually doesn’t, which is what you see when the bruise starts to turn red and then purple, and eventually dark blue or even black. Now, we’re not going to get into how to prevent bruises here because that should be left to someone who knows something about children, child safety products, and child proofing a home–or adult proofing a home if you’re particularly clumsy or suffer from a blood clotting deficiency like Hemophilia. I’m here to tell you how to get rid of that bruise.

Types of Bruises

Getting rid of a bruise isn’t really possible. Well, it is and it isn’t. Your body does most of the work itself, but there are some things you can do to help speed your body’s natural healing processes. Read on to find out how to get rid of a bruise.

Unexplained Bruises

If you’ve been getting black eyes for “no apparent reason” or you’ve been “falling down the stairs” a lot, it may be time to find a respite from the abuse. Here are some numbers that will get you the help you deserve:

1-800-799-7233

1-800-787-3224

Best Ways to Get Rid of Bruises

First, wash the wound with cold water and soap, then put some ice on it. The soap and water is to prevent any infection you might get from peeled skin or cuts that often accompany a bump or fall. The ice serves two purposes: first, the cold helps to reduce the amount of swelling, and second, it constricts the capillaries near the surface of your skin–restricting blood flow and thus reducing the amount of blood that is released from those broken capillaries.

Elevate the wound to help reduce the chances of excessive bruising. This is particularly true if you happened to get a bump on your leg or somewhere below your waist. Gravity and your cardiovascular system ensure that blood pressure increases below your waist line. Reduce some of that pressure and the bleeding by keeping the bruised area elevated.

If your bruise is painful, as many are, take some Acetaminophen to relieve that pain. I’m telling you to take Acetaminophen (Tylenol, Excedrin sold on Amazon, etc.) instead of Aspirin because Aspirin actually inhibits your body’s ability to clot the blood that’s leaking from your capillaries. Medicine like Tylenol and Excedrin (anything with acetaminophen) doesn’t do that. So there.

After about 48 hours, doctors say treating the bruise with a warm compress 3-4 times a day will help get rid of the bruise. By now your capillaries should be starting to heal and the blood flow should have stopped. A warm cloth spread over the wound will help open up the healthy capillaries to increase blood flow so that your body can get rid of the bruise with it’s natural cleaning processes. Repeat this process 15-20 minutes, 3-4 times per day for as long as the bruise is visible.

If the bruise doesn’t heal or lasts longer than 2-3 weeks, it may be time to see a doctor. A lot of people don’t realize until later in life that they have a blood clotting deficiency, either because they’ve managed to avoid severe injury, or because age is taking it’s toll on the body. Elderly people are particularly susceptible to extended or excessive bruising and the complications that can come from it, so it’s a good idea to keep a close eye on their bruises.

Bruises on Legs

If you’ve got unexplained bruises on your legs, there are a couple of causes you might want to consider:

You’re too clumsy for your own good.

You’ve got poor circulation in your legs. There are multiple reasons for low circulation, but diabetes is one of those things, and it’s nothing to be trifled with.

If you notice you’re getting bruises on your legs more than usual, it might be time to see a doctor.

Bruise Treatment Products

The health industry is not at a loss for bruise treatment products, and many of them can be purchased online from any number of health care vendors. A lot of the products available use vitamins A and K to help reduce redness in the skin and promote the body’s natural healing process. Some offer supplements of a plant called Arnica, the extracts of which are used to produce anything from ointments, to liquids, and even pills–though it is most commonly found in gel form, which is then applied to the bruised area 3-4 times a day. There are also Brandname products like Lanosil, a product of the pharmaceutical company, Bayer, which is claimed to help prevent a bruise if it is applied soon enough.

Regardless of the treatment you choose, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that there is no miracle cure for bruises–but if you do try a bruise treatment, and it works well, drop us a line because we’re curious to know which bruise treatment products really work.

Natural Bruise Remedies

Orange Juice, or any citrus fruit, contain chemical compounds called flavonoids which naturally help the body fight bruises and bruising. Have you ever gone for long periods without fruit and noticed when a bruise turned yellow and stayed that way? Well, what used to be called scurvy was actually a Vitamin C deficiency, and Vitamin C is essential for collagen synthesis (ie. the production of the connective tissues necessary for your body to heal itself).

So, go drink a glass of OJ with that Tylenol, but don’t bother calling me in the morning. You’re already on your way to healing that bruise naturally.

Arnica, a European plant found in the mountains, is a well known natural remedy for bruises. The chemical compounds found in the extract are usually applied to the skin’s surface 3-4 times a day, and have proven themselves over time to be a great alternative to pharmaceutical bruise remedies. You can find it from Anicare, sold by Amazon.

Randy, and then you felt it prudent to spend even more of your time on that comment? Seems logical. Just a suggestion, stop wasting everyone’s time.

May 21, 2016 at 12:42 pm

evelynsays:

i fell on my hand and developed a bruise. i took a piece if aloe leaf and taped the side of the gel after removing half of the leaf.by the next day the bruise was almost gone except the places where the leaf didn’t cover. aloe works for almost everything, even the pain of shingles. i gook two scops of the gel and swallowed it.In half a mminute the pain went away so i could sleep. wonderful stuff that aloe plant.

May 19, 2016 at 10:23 pm

Randysays:

Wow all I wanted to know is how to speed up the healing process from having a bruise.
And I got a lot info how why and causes, and then at the end it tells me.
Just a suggestion when somebody asked you a specific question just get to the point